About Us

Founded in 2008 by Andrew W. Mellon Professor Patrick Manning, the World History Center is led by Director Ruth Mostern and Associate Director Molly Warsh. The WHC is governed by a set of bylaws that are approved by the Center's Advisory Board. Reflecting a commitment to interdisciplinary inquiry, the Center's Advisory Board consists of faculty and researchers from various departments and disciplines. Core funding for the World History Center comes from the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. The World History Center is administratively situated within the Department of History. The Center Director is a professor in History who is nominated by the History Department and appointed by the Dean of the Dietrich School to a term of four years. The Chair of the History Department, the Directors of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies of the History Department and an elected member of the History Department faculty all serve on the Advisory Board. While the World History Center does not offer degrees, it supports the educational mission of the History Department and of world historical inquiry across the university through initiatives that include fellowships, pedagogy workshops, and student internships. You can browse through the Center's Annual Reports here.

The WHC, located at 3900 WWPH, is directly across the hall from the History Department. Our space is a physical resource for facilitating collaborative research in world history. The space hosts a library of world history textbooks and books from the world history graduate student comprehensive exam reading list. It has a large-format monitor, a ten-person seminar table, and three drop-in computers with a range of software packages. The space is available to use as a digital research lab for projects related to the study of world history, a meeting space with media availability for workshops or video conferencing, a space for small receptions and exhibits, and as a workspace for WHC staff, faculty, and students. The Center is staffed by Center Coordinator David Ruvolo.